Russian-Swedish teacher exchange on Environmental Pedagogics

March 18-22, a delegation of nine Russian teachers, tutors and
administrators visited the Swedish town of Luleå for a workshop and to
meet Swedish colleagues active in environmental pedagogics. The Head of
the delegation was Ms Marina Sivkova, Director at the Komi Educational
Institution of Supplementary Education for Children.

The aim is to establish a pedagogic cooperation between Russia and
Sweden focusing on raising the level of knowledge of environment among
teachers, the integration of this knowledge in every-day teaching and
increasing the curiosity of school children in environmentally related
issues.

During their stay, the teacher from Komi took part of how Luleå
Municipality works with educating their young in environmental
knowledge, such as sustainable development and water issues. They
exchanged knowledge and information with the staff at the environmental
school with the goal to improve the tutoring in both regions on how to
make our future generations understand and act responsible towards our
precious environment.

Mr Staffan Svanberg, an internationally known lecturer in sustainable
development and Mr Gunnar Jonson, the Senior Subject Teacher at Luleå
University of Technology, were among the speakers during the workshop.
Hosts for the workshop were Luleå municipality, represented by Mr Göran
Öhman, and the county administrative board of Norrbotten, represented by
Mr Jonas Lundin.

They delegation stayed at the Environmental School of Luleå and among
other places visited "Teknikens Hus", the water treatment facility, and
waste treatment facility of Luleå.

The establishment of cooperation in environmental pedagogics is part of
the Chairmanship of Norrbotten, 2012-2013, of the Barents Regional
Council. A similar exchange will be held in the town of Syktyvkar in the
Republic of Komi with a delegation from Sweden.